2007/05/21

Vilau and Digital Magics carry out the first deployment in Spain of their new video participation format for television

Vilau - Spanish firm offering value added services for television channels - and Digital Magics - Italian group specialised in the creation of innovative Cross media communicative formats and digital content - have deployed their brand new video participative format in the Spanish regional television ETB-1.

Using a webcam installed on the computer, the audience of Betizu, a program dedicated to children, can participate live in a quiz show. This way, the audience can see and hear the contestant in real time. This video participative system introduces a new way of doing television, changing the relationship between audience and the media, facing new needs of interaction, participation and cross-media.

ETB-1 is the first television in Spain using this original video participative format, which is already being successfully broadcasted in Italy, in various RAI programmes. "We wanted to bring high quality to our children´s programs and this is a really innovative solution. Children can participate live from home, which means a great advance in the relationship program-audience. We are very proud of being the first ones to use this video participative system, because probably we will be a reference for other big channels", coments Koro Lasarte, children programs manager from ETB-1.

This innovative format used in Betizu program´s Zuzen quiz show, has been developed on the video participation platform MyCast, which also permits participation via video mobile phone. Vilau has arranged the full implantation of the system and is responsible for the management of the service. As Javier Calera, CEO of Vilau, explains, "the technical solution is not the only thing to appreciate, because we provide a full service of participants management: in our broadcast centre we receive the video calls and a chair person controls the participation of the persons who call to the program, according to the editorial line and the objectives of the program stressed by the channel managers".

Gabriele Gresta, Vice Executive Chairman and Chief Content Officer of the Digital Magics group, states: "The video-participative format realized for ETB-1 is an example of what we can call Google TV Generation, the new young generation always connected by means of instant messaging tools, the web-net and mobile phones. Thanks to innovative formats and tools like this, the Google Generation interrupts the unidirectional streaming of information, changes considerably the Reality-Show model and makes communication media more democratic, since the audience take easily part into the creation of contents".

Programmes from the RAI such as the morning show Uno Mattina (on RAI 1), the one about market trends Occhio alla Spesa (on RAI 2,) the Italian public DTT channel Rai Futura, or other channels as Alice Live TV include video participation programmes.

Moreover, the Occhio alla Spesa program has been internationally recognised by entering the shortlist of the GSM Association Global Mobile Awards 2007, and winning the MobileMonday Italy Peer Award in the "innovation BtoC" category, from the international expertise and mobile phone tradesmen community MobileMonday.

Vilau´s managers think this pioneer video participative format will reach the success achieved in Italy, as is shown by the interest showed by other television channels.

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